Don't let the vast number of steps scare you off as they are more a indication of the posting chef's care in offering guidance to those unfamiliar with the preparations for tagines. There is quite a bit of chopping, but nothing complicated. My sauce was still watery at the end of the stated cooking time so I let it simmer an additional 15 minutes. The extra time transformed this from a 4 plus recipe to a definite 5 star dish. Specifically, it was in this extra cooking time that the onions, tomatoes and garlic really broke down and melded with the prunes and created that sweet-savory complexity that is characteristic of Morrocan cuisine. Scaled this down to 2 servings and prepared it with 2 rather large chicken breasts. Thanks Kate.